Pd(OAc)2/p-benzoquinone-catalyzed anaerobic electrooxidative homocoupling of arylboronic acids, arylboronates and aryltrifluoroborates in DMF and/or water

A new anaerobic electrooxidative homocoupling of arylboronic acids, arylboronates and aryltrifluoroborates was developed in the presence of catalytic amounts of Pd(OAc)(2) and p-benzoquinone, which serves as a redox mediator for the oxidation of transient Pd-0 to the active Pd-II species. The homocoupling was performed in DMF, DMF/water or in pure water. This electrochemical process avoids the use of a stoichiometric amount of chemical oxidants and subsequent formation of co- and by-products. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008).